Functional exploration of the human spinal cord during voluntary movement and somatosensory stimulation

Demonstrations of the possibility of obtaining functional information from the spinal cord in humans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have been growing in number and sophistication, but the technique and the results that it provides are still perceived by the scientific community with a greater degree of scepticism than fMRI investigations of brain function. Here we review the literature on spinal fMRI in humans during voluntary movements and somatosensory stimulation. Particular attention is given to study design, acquisition and statistical analysis of the images, and to the agreement between the obtained results and existing knowledge regarding spinal cord anatomy and physiology.     

Multi-shot turbo spin-echo for 3D vascular space occupancy imaging

Vascular space occupancy (VASO) is a magnetic resonance imaging technique sensitive to cerebral blood volume, and is a potential alternative to the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) sensitive technique as a basis for functional mapping of the neurovascular response to a task. Many implementations of VASO have made use of echo-planar imaging strategies that allow rapid acquisition, but risk introducing potentially confounding BOLD effects. Recently, multi-slice and 3D VASO techniques have been implemented to increase the imaging volume beyond the single slice of early reports. These techniques usually rely, however, on advanced scanner software or hardware not yet available in many centers. In the present study, we have implemented a short-echo time, multi-shot 3D Turbo Spin-Echo (TSE) VASO sequence that provided 8-slice coverage on a routine clinical scanner. The proposed VASO sequence was tested in assessing the response of the human motor cortex during a block design finger tapping task in 10 healthy subjects. Significant VASO responses, inversely correlated with the task, were found at both individual and group level. The location and extent of VASO responses were in close correspondence to those observed using a conventional BOLD acquisition in the same subjects. Although the spatial coverage and temporal resolution achieved were limited, robust and consistent VASO responses were observed. The use of a susceptibility insensitive volumetric TSE VASO sequence may have advantages in locations where conventional BOLD and echo-planar based VASO imaging is compromised.     

Cationic helicenes as selective G4 DNA binders and optical probes for cellular imaging

The important role that G-quadruplex DNA (G4 DNA) structures play in regulating biological processes is becoming widely recognised. These structures have also been proposed to be attractive drug targets. Therefore, there has been significant interest in developing small molecules that can selectively bind to G4 DNA over other topologies. In this paper we investigate the interaction between DNA and helical compounds (helicenes) based on a central carbocation trisubstituted with aromatic rings. We show that the non-planar structure of these helicenes results in a significantly reduced affinity for dsDNA when compared to their planar analogues, whilst maintaining a high affinity for G4 DNA. Additionally, the right- and left-handed enantiomers of one of these helicenes recognise the chiral DNA environments of G4 and dsDNA differently. We show that upon DNA binding the helicenes display a fluorescence switch-on effect, which we have successfully used for cellular imaging in live and fixed U2OS cells, staining mitochondria and the nucleus, respectively.

G-quadruplex DNA (G4 DNA) structures are selectively recognised by helical optical probes.     

Anionic synthesis of aromatic amide and carboxyl functionalized polymers. Chain-end functionalization of poly(styryl)lithium with N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-phenylethenyl)benzamide

The novel syntheses of N,N-diisopropyl-4-benzoylbenzamide, N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)benzamide, and N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-phenylethenyl)benzamide ( 1 ) are described. ω-Amidopolystyrene ( 2 ) was synthesized in quantitative yields by the reaction of poly(styryl)lithium with stoichiometric amounts of N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-phenylethenyl)benzamide ( 1 ) in toluene/tetrahydrofuran (4 : 1 v/v) at −78°C. Deblocking of the amide protecting group by acid hydrolysis quantitatively provides the corresponding aromatic carboxyl chain-end functionalized polystyrene ( 3 ). The functionalization agent and functionalized polymers were characterized by HPLC, thin-layer chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, vapor phase osmometry, spectroscopy (¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and FTIR), potentiometry, and elemental analysis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1233–1241, 1998     

Synthesis and mass spectrum of 3,3′-thiobispyridine and polarographic reduction of 1,1′-dimethyl-3,3′-thiobispyridinediium diiodide

3,3′-Thiobispyridine is prepared by reaction of pyridine-3-thiol with 3-bromopyridine. The base peak in the mass spectrum of 3,3′-thiobispyridine is due to the molecular ion which fragments by loss of H, HCN and CS as well as by central bond rupture. The 1,1′-dimethyl diquaternary salt of 3,3′-thiobispyridine is reduced polarographically by a one electron transfer not involving hydrogen to an unstable radical cation at a potential (E_o) of −0.72 V in the pH range 7.4–11.2.     

Fabrication of 2D–3D photonic crystal heterostructures by glancing angle deposition

We fabricate 2D–3D photonic crystal heterostructures based on the silicon [001]-diamond:1 square spiral geometry using glancing angle deposition. We compare the normal incidence reflection properties of the fabricated 2D–3D heterostructures to simulated spectra generated using finite-difference time-domain calculations. Reflection peaks are observed, resulting from the presence of a photonic band gap, and defect modes are created by the 2D layer. Deterioration of the reflectance peaks with increased number of vertical spiral periods is observed. A series of square spiral structures are fabricated with a varying number of vertical periods to quantify the degradation of reflection peaks. At normal light incidence, a maximum reflection peak is observed from the film with three vertical periods. Beyond three spiral rotations, deterioration of the substrate-plane periodicity causes scattering losses.     

Analysis of fluctuations induced by a scale hierarchy of interacting particles

We investigate the two-point averaging over space of fluctuations arising from a multiscale hierarchy of interacting particles. We assume this will satisfy a condition of homogeneity with respect to scale. We consider the second-order correlation of fluctuations arising from particles of a single scale in the hierarchy; we then form an average over the set of such single-scale correlations. As the hierarchy is refined, a condition of scale continuum is approached. We use the limiting value of this procedure to define a two-point correlation function for the multiscale system as a whole, and identify this with the experimental measurement of correlation in such a multiscale context. In the energy spectrum which emerges in this limit, one term comes to dominate the spectrum for large k; this term has the form ‘k ⁻² ln k’. In fact, a variety of different shape functions (intended to represent correlation functions) leads to this energy spectrum, which bears a qualitative resemblance to a Kolmogorov power-law. In this sense a degree of universality is exhibited. The ideas are illustrated for two simple one-dimensional test cases before a more general treatment in one and three dimensions is developed.     

Spatially and spectrally resolved measurement of optical loss in InGaN laser structures

The optical loss co-efficient in InGaN laser diodes, emitting at 410 nm, has been measured. The measurement technique is based on the transmission of internally generated spontaneous emission through varying lengths of the laser waveguide. It is unique in that it provides spectral and spatial information on the optical loss. The lasers studied are typical of InGaN structures showing a high degree of waveguide loss, _i=40cm⁻¹. The measurements also show clear evidence of higher order transverse modes in the direction perpendicular to the growth plane with resonant leakage of the optical field into the outer layers of the structure. This produces a modulation in the loss of these modes.     

F1 structure provides information for final-consonant voicing

Previous research has shown that F1 offset frequencies are generally lower for vowels preceding voiced consonants than for vowels preceding voiceless consonants. Furthermore, it has been shown that listeners use these differences in offset frequency in making judgments about final-consonant voicing. A recent production study [W. Summers, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 82, 847-863 (1987)] reported that F1 frequency differences due to postvocalic voicing are not limited to the final transition or offset region of the preceding vowel. Vowels preceding voiced consonants showed lower F1 onset frequencies and lower F1 steady-state frequencies than vowels preceding voiceless consonants. The present study examined whether F1 frequency differences in the initial transition and steady-state regions of preceding vowels affect final-consonant voicing judgments in perception. The results suggest that F1 frequency differences in these early portions of preceding vowels do, in fact, influence listeners' judgments of postvocalic consonantal voicing.